Dui Lawyers

PLANTATION, Fla. – In advance of the upcoming Labor Day holiday, law enforcement agencies throughout the state and in South Florida are taking part in a nationwide crackdown on drunken and impaired driving.

The Plantation Police Department is one of the agencies that will be conducting DUI saturation patrols for the 18-day period that began Friday and runs through Monday, Sept. 6.

“Many people choose to celebrate with alcohol during the summer,” said Plantation Police Sgt. Joe Gallignani in a statement from the agency.

“Our goal is to apprehend impaired drivers in the area before they cause crashes,” the statement said.

Statewide, the Florida Highway Patrol is also taking part in the enhanced enforcement campaign called “Over the Limit, Under Arrest.”

According to FHP figures, 875 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes in 2009, including 29 who died during the official Labor Day holiday period.

If you have been or are ever accused of driving under the influence in South Florida, feel free to call our Orlando drunk driving attorneys to help you.

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After the crash that killed an Orange County man and his three sons, police found a crumpled can of an alcoholic energy drink called Four Loko inside the mangled remains of the suspected drunk driver’s Chevrolet Impala.

The suspect, 20, told St. Petersburg officers he had been drinking the high-octane malt beverage and other alcohol, plus using marijuana, before the Aug. 1 collision that claimed the lives of 3 Orlando residents.

Four Loko and similar beverages are sold in colorful cans that resemble iced tea and ordinary energy drinks. At about $2.50 for a 23.5-ounce can, this affordable buzz has outraged attorneys general and advocates for sobriety in recent years.

“It’s a very bad combination having alcohol, plus caffeine, plus the brain of a young person,” said Bruce Goldberger, a professor and director of toxicology at the University of Florida College of Medicine. “It’s like a perfect storm.”

Aficionados, however, say they like the taste — and the effects.

Juan Fernandez, 41, said these drinks are so strong, he drinks just one daily.

“If you’re not a drinker and you drink one, you’ll be really twisted [drunk],” said Fernandez, who stocks shelves at Parramore Corner Store in Orlando.

On the market since 2006, Four Loko contains 12 percent alcohol and is sold in flavors including lemonade, watermelon and fruit punch. By contrast, most beer contains between 4 percent and 5 percent alcohol.

Adding to Four Loko’s jolt are guarana, taurine and caffeine — ingredients commonly found in energy drinks — and plenty of sugar.

It’s a popular product among teens and young adults — Four Loko has a Facebook page with more than 150,000 fans.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warn that caffeine-laced alcoholic beverages are harmful. But Phusion Projects, a Chicago company that markets Four Loko and a related brand, Four MaXed, defends the safety of its drinks.

In statements to the Orlando Sentinel, Phusion said its products are only for those of legal drinking age and that they contain less caffeine than a 12-ounce cup of coffee.

The company also extended sympathies to the McConnell family.

“This tragedy speaks to the serious, societal concerns regarding the misuse of alcohol in our society — alcohol abuse, drunk driving and underage drinking are problems we would all like to see discussed and solved,” wrote managing partner Chris Hunter.

A discovery of this nature in any DUI case can make a big difference.

Are you facing DUI charges in Orlando? If so, you would be well advised to promptly contact an Orlando DUI lawyer at Musca Law to conduct an investigation of your arrest.

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An Orlando man and his three sons were killed after their car was struck by an intoxicated driver who sped through a red light in St. Petersburg just before 1:00am Sunday, police said.

“When he told me that the three sons were also killed, we just couldn’t believe it,” said neighbor Norma Vasquez.

In the east Orlando neighborhood where Vasquez lives, the deaths of four members of the McConnell family who live down the street are almost too heavy to bear.

“Those kids grew up with our kids here. They played in this neighborhood. They went the same elementary, junior high school. They graduated and still kept in touch,” explained Vasquez.

Neighbors said the family left Orlando to spend some time together on the west coast of Florida.

St. Petersburg police said early Sunday morning a 20-year-old who was allegedly driving drunk, ran a red light and crashed into the victim’s Ford Fusion car.

Police said the crash killed 51-year-old and his three sons ages 28, 24 and 19.

“Somebody that’s been drinking on the road, shouldn’t be on the road, was on the road and this is what happened,” said Vasquez. Read the rest of this entry »